The Science of Happiness, Building Resilience & Why You Don't Have To Be Happy All The Time with Dr. Gillian Mandich
Chatting with a stranger on your commute. Sharing fries with a friend. Watching the sunset from your window. Turns out, these micro moments are much more than pleasant – they're the actual building blocks of happiness!
I'm sitting down with Dr. Gillian Mandich, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Manitoba, who holds a PhD in Health Science from Western University. She's a happiness researcher, educator, speaker, and author; founder of The International Happiness Institute; and co-lead investigator of the Happiness at Work Study with the Mental Health Association. She was also named one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women's Executive Network!
I first heard Gillian speak at Camp Reconnect and haven't stopped quoting her since. She completely reframed how I think about happiness, helping me see it as a practice instead of a destination.
This conversation gave me permission to stop waiting for everything to be perfect before I let myself feel happy, and I know it will do the same for you!
In this episode, we're talking about:
How Dr. Gillian defines happiness and why it's both simple and complicated
The paradox of trying to be happy all the time
Micro moments versus big trips
The broaden and build theory and how happiness works like a muscle
Why social connection is the number one predictor of long-term health and happiness
Happy hunting – a simple practice to figure out what actually makes you happy
How our environment impacts our happiness and what we can control when we feel stuck
Seasonal affective disorder, winter in Canada, and navigating the dark months
Building meaningful connections in a digital world
Holding two emotions at the same time and why that's a sign of emotional maturity
Rethinking assumptions and narratives we've held about happiness
Curiosity, travel, and learning as paths to a richer life
CONNECT WITH DR. GILLIAN MANDICH
✨Dr. Gillian’s website
✨Follow @drgillianmandich on Instagram (and her dog!)
Links from the episode:
Book: Think Again by Adam Grant
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